Receptor for latrotoxin from insects

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to polypeptides having the biological activity of latrotoxin receptors, and to nucleic acids encoding these polypeptides, and in particular to their use for finding active compounds for crop protection.

[0001] The invention relates to polypeptides having the biological activity of latrotoxin receptors and to nucleic acids encoding these polypeptides and, in particular, to their use for finding active compounds for crop protection.

[0002] The poison of the black widow (Latrodectus mactans tredecimguttatus) contains a number of highly potent neurotoxins (Longenecker et al., 1970; Cull-Candy et al., 1973; Dulubova et al., 1996). The toxin from this group which has been studied most thoroughly is alpha-latrotoxin, which causes a massive neurotransmitter release at the nerve endings both in vertebrates and invertebrates (review in Rosenthal and Meldolesi, 1989). In insects, this leads to a rapid paralysis of the animal (Cull-Candy et al., 1973).

[0003] Latrotoxin develops its action by two mechanisms which differ in principle (review in Henkel and Sankaranarayanan, 1999), a calcium-dependent and a calcium-independent mechanism. The calcium-independent mechanism requires a receptor in the membrane of the target cell. This receptor is either neurexin or latrophilin (review in Henkel and Sankaranarayanan, 1999). Latrophilin belongs to the class of the G-protein-coupled receptors. These receptors usually bind to intracellular signal proteins, the G-proteins. Activation of such a receptor by binding of an agonist on the outside of the cell leads to activation of one of these intracellular G-proteins, resulting in an activation of specific signal cascades within the cell. In the case of latrophilin in neurons, this then leads to a spontaneous neurotransmitter release (review in Henkel and Sankaranarayanan, 1999).

[0004] Latrophilic exists in the form of different homologous proteins which can be formed by alternative splicing. Different homologous latrophilins can be expressed differently in different organs and tissues (Matsushita et al., 1999).

[0005] To develop novel insecticides using latrophilin, two approaches can be pursued. Firstly, it is possible to search for agonists of latrophilin, i.e. for compounds which activate intracellular G-proteins following binding to latrophilin. Secondly, it is possible to search, in the presence of latrotoxin, for inhibitors of latrophilin activation.

[0006] The present invention is therefore based in particular on the object of providing insect receptors to which alpha-latrotoxin can bind, and assay systems based thereon with a high throughput of test compounds (High Throughput Screening Assays; HTS Assays).

[0007] The object is achieved by providing polypeptides having at least one biological activity of a latrotoxin receptor (latrophilin) and comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% identity, particularly preferably at least 90% identity, very particularly preferably at least 95% identity, with a sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 or SEQ ID NO: 4 over a length of at least 20, preferably at least 25, particularly preferably at least 30 consecutive amino acids, and very particularly preferably over their full length.

[0008] The degree of identity of the amino acid sequences is preferably determined using the program GAP from the program package GCG, Version 9.1, with standard settings (Devereux et al., 1984).

[0009] The term “polypeptides” as used in the present context not only relates to short amino acid chains which are usually referred to as peptides, oligopeptides or oligomers, but also to longer amino acid chains which are usually referred to as proteins. It encompasses amino acid chains which can be modified either by natural processes, such as post-translational processing, or by chemical prior-art methods. Such modifications may occur at various sites and repeatedly in a polypeptide, such as, for example, on the peptide backbone, on the amino acid side chain, on the amino and/or the carboxyl terminus. For example, they encompass acetylations, acylations, ADP-ribosylations, amidations, covalent linkages to flavins, haem-moieties, nucleotides or nucleotide derivatives, lipids or lipid derivatives or phosphatidy-linositol, cyclizations, disulphide bridge formations, demethylations, cystine formations, formylations, gamma-carboxylations, glycosylations, hydroxylations, iodinations, methylations, myristoylations, oxidations, proteolytic processings, phosphorylations, selenoylations and tRNA-mediated amino acid additions.

[0010] The polypeptides according to the invention may exist in the form of “mature” proteins or parts of larger proteins, for example as fusion proteins. They can furthermore exhibit secretion or leader sequences, pro-sequences, sequences which allow simple purification, such as multiple histidine residues, or additional stabilizing amino acids.

[0011] The polypeptides according to the invention need not constitute complete receptors, but may also be fragments thereof, as long as they still have at least one biological activity of the complete receptors. Polypeptides which, compared to receptors consisting of the polypeptides according to the invention having an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 or SEQ ID/NO: 4 have an activity which is increased or reduced by 50%, are still considered to be in accordance with the invention. The polypeptides according to the invention need not be deducible from Drosophila melanogaster receptors. Polypeptides which are also considered as being in accordance with the invention are those which correspond to receptors of, for example, the following invertebrates, or fragments thereof which can still exert the biological activity of these receptors: insects, nematodes, arthropods, molluscs.

[0012] In comparison to the corresponding region of naturally occurring receptors, the polypeptides according to the invention can have deletions or amino acid substitutions, as long as they still exert at least one biological activity of the complete receptors. Conservative substitutions are preferred. Such conservative substitutions comprise variations in which one amino acid is replaced by another amino acid from the following group:

[0013] 1. small aliphatic residues, non-polar or of little polarity: Ala, Ser, Thr, Pro and Gly;

[0014] 2. polar negatively charged residues and their amides: Asp, Asn, Glu and Gln;

[0015] 3. polar positively charged residues: His, Arg and Lys;

[0016] 4. large aliphatic non-polar residues: Met, Leu, Ile, Val and Cys; and

[0017] 5. aromatic residues: Phe, Tyr and Trp.

[0018] Preferred conservative substitutions are shown in the list below: Original residue Substitution Ala Gly, Ser Arg Lys Asn Gln, His Asp Glu Cys Ser Gln Asn Glu Asp Gly Ala, Pro His Asn, Gln Ile Leu, Val Leu Ile, Val Lys Arg, Gln, Glu Met Leu, Tyr, Ile Phe Met, Leu, Tyr Ser Thr Thr Ser Trp Tyr Tyr Trp,Phe Val Ile, Leu

[0019] The term “biological activity of a latrotoxin receptor” as used in the present context means binding of latrotoxin to the receptor.

[0020] A preferred embodiment of the polypeptides according to the invention is a Drosophila melanogaster receptor which has the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, or SEQ ID NO: 4.

[0021] The present invention also provides nucleic acids which encode the polypeptides according to the invention.

[0022] The nucleic acids according to the invention are, in particular, single-stranded or double-stranded deoxyribonucleic acids (DNA) or ribonucleic acids (RNA). Preferred embodiments are fragments of genomic DNA which may contain introns, and cDNAs.

[0023] A preferred embodiment of the nucleic acids according to the invention is a cDNAs having the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 3.

[0024] Nucleic acids which hybridize under stringent conditions with the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 3 are likewise included in the present invention.

[0025] The term “to hybridize” as used in the present context describes the process during which a single-stranded nucleic acid molecule undergoes base pairing with a complementary strand. Starting from the sequence information disclosed herein, this allows, for example, DNA fragments to be isolated from insects other than Drosophila melanogaster which encode polypeptides with the biological activity of receptors.

[0026] Preferred hybridization conditions are given below:

[0027] Hybridization solution: 6X SSC/0% formamide, preferred hybridization solution: 6X SSC/25% formamide.

[0028] Hybridization temperature: 34° C., preferred hybridization temperature: 42° C.

[0029] Wash step 1: 2X SSC at 40° C.,

[0030] Wash step 2: 2X SSC at 45° C.; preferred wash step 2: 0.6X SSC at 55° C.; particularly preferred wash step 2: 0.3X SSC at 65° C.

[0031] The present invention furthermore encompasses nucleic acids which have at least 70% identity, preferably at least 80% identity, particularly preferably at least 90% identity, very particularly preferably at least 95% identity, with the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 3 over a length of at least 20, preferably at least 25, particularly preferably at least 30, consecutive nucleotides, and very particularly preferably over their full length.

[0032] The degree of identity of the nucleic acid sequences is preferably determined with the aid of the program GAP from the program package GCG, Version 9.1, using standard settings.

[0033] The present invention furthermore provides DNA constructs which comprise a nucleic acid according to the invention and a heterologous promoter.

[0034] The term “heterologous promoter” as used in the present context refers to a promoter which has properties which differ from the properties of the promoter which controls the expression of the gene in question in the original organism. The term “promoter” as used in the present context generally refers to expression control sequences.

[0035] The choice of heterologous promoters depends on whether pro- or eukaryotic cells or cell-free systems are used for expression. Examples of heterologous promoters are the early or late promoter of SV40, of the adenovirus or of the cytomegalovirus, the lac system, the trp system, the main operator and promoter regions of the lambda phage, the fd coat protein control regions, the 3-phosphoglycerate kinase promoter, the acid phosphatase promoter and the yeast α-mating factor promoter.

[0036] The invention furthermore provides vectors which contain a nucleic acid according to the invention or a DNA construct according to the invention. All plasmids, phasmids, cosmids, YACs or synthetic chromosomes used in molecular biology laboratories can be used as vectors.

[0037] The present invention also provides host cells comprising a nucleic acid according to the invention, a DNA construct according to the invention or a vector according to the invention.

[0038] The term “host cell” as used in the present context refers to cells which do not naturally comprise the nucleic acids according to the invention.

[0039] Suitable host cells are both prokaryotic cells, such as bacteria from the genera Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Streptomyces, Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, preferably E. coli, and eukaryotic cells, such as yeasts, mammalian cells, amphibian cells, insect cells or plant cells. Preferred eukaryotic host cells are HEK-293, Schneider S2, Spodoptera Sf9, Kc, CHO, COSl, COS7, HeLa, C127, 3T3 or BHK cells and, in particular, Xenopus oocytes.

[0040] The invention furthermore provides antibodies which bind specifically to the above-mentioned polypeptides or receptors. Such antibodies are produced in the customary manner. For example, such antibodies may be produced by injecting a substantially immunocompetent host with such an amount of a polypeptide according to the invention or a fragment thereof which is effective for antibody production, and subsequently obtaining this antibody. Furthermore, an immortalized cell line which produces monoclonal antibodies may be obtained in a manner known per se. If appropriate, the antibodies may be labelled with a detection reagent. Preferred examples of such a detection reagent are enzymes, radiolabelled elements, fluorescent chemicals or biotin. Instead of the complete antibody, it is also possible to employ fragments which have the desired specific binding properties. The term “antibodies” as used in the present context therefore also extends to parts of complete antibodies, such as Fa, F(ab′)₂ or Fv fragments, which are still capable of binding to the epitopes of the polypeptides according to the invention.

[0041] The nucleic acids according to the invention can be used, in particular, for generating transgenic invertebrates. These may be employed in assay systems which are based on an expression, of the polypeptides according to the invention, which deviates from the wild type. Based on the information disclosed herein, it is furthermore possible to generate transgenic invertebrates where expression of the polypeptides according to the invention is altered owing to the modification of other genes or promoters.

[0042] The transgenic invertebrates are generated, for example, in the case of Drosophila melanogaster, by P-element-mediated gene transfer (Hay et al., 1997) or, in Caenorhabditis elegans, by transposon-mediated gene transfer (for example by Tcl; Plasterk, 1996).

[0043] The invention therefore also provides transgenic invertebrates which contain at least one of the nucleic acids according to the invention, preferably transgenic invertebrates of the species Drosophila melanogaster or Caenorhabditis elegans, and their transgenic progeny. The transgenic invertebrates preferably contain the polypeptides according to the invention in a form which deviates from the wild type.

[0044] The present invention furthermore provides methods of producing the polypeptides according to the invention. To produce the polypeptides encoded by the nucleic acids according to the invention, host cells which contain one of the nucleic acids according to the invention can be cultured under suitable conditions, where the nucleic acid to be expressed may be adapted to the codon usage of the host cells. Thereupon, the desired polypeptides can be isolated from the cells or the culture medium in a customary manner. The polypeptides may also be produced in in vitro systems.

[0045] A rapid method of isolating the polypeptides according to the invention which are synthesized by host cells using a nucleic acid according to the invention starts with the expression of a fusion protein, it being possible for the fusion partner to be affinity-purified in a simple manner. For example, the fusion partner may be glutathione S-transferase. The fusion protein can then be purified on a glutathione affinity column. The fusion partner can then be removed by partial proteolytic cleavage, for example at linkers between the fusion partner and the polypeptide according to the invention to be purified. The linker can be designed such that it includes target amino acids, such as arginine and lysine residues, which define sites for trypsin cleavage. To generate such linkers, standard cloning methods using oligonucleotides may be employed.

[0046] Other purification methods which are possible are based on preparative electro-phoresis, FPLC, HPLC (for example using gel filtration, reversed-phase or moderately hydrophobic columns), gel filtration, differential precipitation, ion-exchange chromatography and affinity chromatography.

[0047] Since the receptors constitute membrane proteins, the purification methods preferably involve detergent extractions, for example using detergents which have no, or little, effect on the secondary and tertiary structures of the polypeptides, such as nonionic detergents.

[0048] The purification of the polypeptides according to the invention can encompass the isolation of membranes, starting from host cells which express the nucleic acids according to the invention. Such cells preferably express the polypeptides according to the invention in a sufficiently high copy number, so that the polypeptide quantity in a membrane fraction is at least 10 times higher than that in comparable membranes of cells which naturally express the receptors; particularly preferably, the quantity is at least 100 times, very particularly preferably at least 1000 times, higher. The terms “isolation or purification” as used in the present context mean that the polypeptides according to the invention are separated from other proteins or other macromolecules of the cell or of the tissue. The protein content of a composition containing the polypeptides according to the invention is preferably at least 10 times, particularly preferably at least 100 times, higher than in a host cell preparation.

[0049] The polypeptides according to the invention may also be affinity-purified without a fusion partner with the aid of antibodies which bind to the polypeptides.

[0050] The present invention furthermore provides methods for producing the nucleic acids according to the invention. The nucleic acids according to the invention can be produced in a customary manner. For example, all of the nucleic acid molecules can be synthesized chemically, or else only short sections of the sequences according to the invention can be synthesized chemically, and such oligonucleotides can be radiolabelled or labelled with a fluorescent dye. The labelled oligonucleotides can be used for screening cDNA libraries generated starting from insect MRNA or for screening genomic libraries generated starting from insect genomic DNA. Clones which hybridize with the labelled oligonucleotides are chosen for isolating the DNA in question. After characterization of the isolated DNA, the nucleic acids according to the invention are obtained in a simple manner.

[0051] Alternatively, the nucleic acids according to the invention can also be produced by means of PCR methods using chemically synthesized oligonucleotides.

[0052] The term “oligonucleotide(s)” as used in the present context denotes DNA molecules composed of 10 to 50 nucleotides, preferably 15 to 30 nucleotides. They are synthesized chemically and can be used as probes.

[0053] The nucleic acids or polypeptides according to the invention allow novel active compounds for crop protection and/or pharmaceutically active compounds for the treatment of humans and animals to be identified, such as chemical compounds which, being modulators, in particular agonists or antagonists, alter the properties of the receptors according to the invention. To this end, a recombinant DNA molecule comprising at least one nucleic acid according to the invention is introduced into a suitable host cell. The host cell is grown in the presence of a compound or a probe comprising a variety of compounds under conditions which allow expression of the receptors according to the invention. A change in the receptor properties can be detected, for example, as described below in Example 2. This allows, for example, insecticidal substances to be found.

[0054] Receptors alter the concentration of intracellular cAMP via interaction with G-proteins, preferably after previously having been activated. Thus, changes in the receptor properties by chemical compounds can be measured after heterologous expression, for example by measuring the intracellular cAMP concentrations directly via ELISA assay systems (Biomol, Hamburg, Germany) or RIA assay systems (NEN, Schwalbach, Germany) in HTS format. An indirect measurement of the cAMP concentration is possible with the aid of reporter genes (for example luciferase), whose expression depends on the cAMP concentration (Stratowa et al., 1995). The coexpression of receptors with specific G-proteins, for example Gα15, Gα16 or else chimeric G-proteins, in heterologous systems and measuring the increase in calcium, for example using fluorescent dyes or equorin, is an alternative possibility of carrying out the screening (Stables et al., 1997, Conklin et al., 1993).

[0055] Furthermore, the binding of GTP to the activated G-protein can be used as a read-out system for assaying substances. Also, binding experiments with labelled peptides can be employed for screening.

[0056] The term “agonist” as used in the present context refers to a molecule which activates the receptor.

[0057] The term “antagonist” as used in the present context refers to a molecule which displaces an agonist from its binding site.

[0058] The term “modulator” as used in the present context constitutes the generic term for agonist and antagonist. Modulators can be small organochemical molecules, peptides or antibodies which bind to the polypeptides according to the invention. Other modulators may be small organochemical molecules, peptides or antibodies which bind to a molecule which, in turn, binds to the polypeptides according to the invention, thus affecting their biological activity. Modulators may constitute mimetics or natural substances and ligands.

[0059] The modulators are preferably small organochemical compounds.

[0060] The binding of the modulators to the polypeptides according to the invention can alter the cellular processes in a manner which leads to the death of the insects treated therewith.

[0061] The present invention therefore also extends to the use of modulators of the polypeptides according to the invention as insecticides or pharmaceuticals.

[0062] The nucleic acids or polypeptides according to the invention also allow compounds to be found which bind to the receptors according to the invention. Again, these can be used as insecticides on plants or as pharmaceutically active compounds for the treatment of humans and animals. For example, host cells which contain the nucleic acids according to the invention and which express the corresponding receptors or polypeptides, or the gene products themselves, are brought into contact with a compound or a mixture of compounds under conditions which permit the interaction of at least compound with the host cells, the receptors or the individual polypeptides.

[0063] Using host cells or transgenic invertebrates which contain the nucleic acids according to the invention, it is also possible to find substances which alter receptor expression.

[0064] The above-described nucleic acids according to the invention, vectors and regulatory regions can furthermore be used for finding genes which encode polypeptides which participate in the synthesis, in insects, of functionally similar receptors. Functionally similar receptors are to be understood as meaning in accordance with the present invention receptors which comprise polypeptides which, while differing from the amino acid sequence of the polypeptides described herein, essentially have the same functions.

INFORMATION ON THE SEQUENCE LISTING AND THE FIGURES

[0065] SEQ ID NO: 1 and SEQ ID NO: 3 show the nucleotide and amino acid sequences of the isolated receptor cDNAs. SEQ ID NO: 2 and SEQ ID NO: 4 furthermore show the amino acid sequences of the proteins deduced from the receptor cDNA sequences.

[0066] SEQ ID NO: 5 shows the sequence of the primer 1 s.

[0067] SEQ ID NO: 6 shows the sequence of the primer 1 a.

EXAMPLES

[0068] Isolation of the Above-Described Polynucleotides

[0069] Polynucleotides were manipulated by standard methods of recombinant DNA technology (Sambrook et al., 1989). Nucleotide and protein sequences were bioinformatically processed using the program package GCG Version 9.1 (GCG Genetics Computer Group, Inc., Madison Wis., USA).

[0070] Isolation of poly-A-containing RNA from Drosophila tissue and construction of the cDNA libraries.

[0071] The RNA for the cDNA library I was isolated from whole Drosophila melanogaster embryos and larvae (RNAzol, Life Technologies, Karlsruhe, Germany, following the instructions of the manufacturer). From this RNA, the poly-A-containing RNAs were then isolated by purification using Dyna Beads 280 (Dynal, Hamburg, Germany). 5 μg of these poly-A-containing RNAs were then employed for constructing the cDNA library using the λ-ZAP-CMV vector (cDNA Synthesis Kit, ZAP-cDNA Synthesis Kit and ZAP-cDNA Gigapack III Gold Cloning Kit, all from Stratagene-Europe, Amsterdam, the Netherlands).

[0072] Generation of Plasmid Pools

[0073] Following the instructions of the manufacturer, the cDNA library in Lambda-pCMV was subjected to mass in-vivo-excision to generate a phagemide library. 10×96 minipreparation cultures were then sown, each preparation calculated to contain 1000 clones. The DNA was then purified using the Qiawell Ultra DNA preparation system from Qiagen (Hilden, Germany) and deposited in 96-well microtitre plates. In this way, the library was represented in the form of 960 pools of 1000 cDNA clones each.

[0074] PCR with library pools.

[0075] Each microtitre plate was copied to a meta pool which represented the entire plate. In each case 0.5 μl of this meta pool was used for a PCR with the following oligodeoxynucleotide primers: Primer 1s: TCCATCGCCAACGATATGTC (SEQ ID NO: 5) Primer 1a: CGCTCCCTGATGATCGTATC (SEQ ID NO: 6)

[0076] The PCR parameters were as follows: 94° C., 1 min; 35 times (94° C., 30 s; 55° C., 30 s; 72° C., 45 s). The PCRs were carried out on a Biometra Uno II (Biometra, Göttingen, Germany).

[0077] Library pools which were positive in the PCR were transformed in X1-1 Blue (Stratagene, Amsterdam, the Netherlands) and subjected to a colony lift (Sambrook et al., 1989). The probe used for the hybridization was a PCR product of the reaction with the respective primer pair (hybridization and detection by means of BrightStar, psoralene-biotin kit, Ambion, Austin, Tex., USA), labelled using psoralene-biotin (BrightStar, psoralene-biotin kit, Ambion, Austin, Tex., USA). Positive colonies were selected and grown, and the DNA was isolated by plasmid preparation (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany).

[0078] For identification, the isolated gene library plasmids were subjected to incipient sequencing (ABI Prism Dye Terminator Cycle Sequencing Kit, ABI, using the ABI prism 310 genetic analyser, ABI-Deutschland, Weiterstadt, Germany) using T3 and T7 primers. The complete polynucleotide sequences of the DB3 were determined by primer walking by means of the Cycle Sequencing ABI Prism Dye Terminator Cycle Sequencing Kit, ABI, using an ABI prism 310 genetic analyser (ABI-Deutschland, Weiterstadt, Germany).

EXAMPLE 2

[0079] The sequences of SEQ ID NO: 2 and SEQ ID NO: 4 were designed by blast analysis (Blastp; Altschul et al., 1997). What is shown is in each case the best hit from the blast analysis (non-reducing protein database: Genbank CDS translations+PDB+Swissprot+PIR database of Mar. 4, 2000). The E-value parameter is a measure for the non-randomness of the assignment. With sufficient reliability, the sequence was identified as latrotoxin receptor.

[0080] Sequence comparison and assignment of the sequences Accession No./Accession from Swissprot database Seq ID E value (4 March 2000) 2 6e-65 AF111098/Latrophilin-1 (Bos taurus) 4 4e-45 AF111098/Latrophilin-1 (Bos taurus)

EXAMPLE 3

[0081] Heterologous Expression

[0082] The receptor according to the invention from insects can be expressed functionally in xenopus ooctyes. To this end, G-protein-activatable potassium channels (GIRK1 and GIRK4) are coexpressed in order to measure activation of the receptors (White et al., 1998). The nucleic acid according to the invention is used directly for the expression experiments, since it is already in an expression vector with CMV promoter.

[0083] Ooeyte Measurements

[0084] 1. Oocyte preparation

[0085] The oocytes are obtained from an adult female Xenopus laevis frog (Horst Kähler, Hamburg, Germany). The frogs are kept in large tanks with circulating water at a water temperature of 20-24° C. Parts of the frog ovary are removed through a small incision in the abdomen (approx. 1 cm), with full anaesthesia. The ovary is then treated for approximately 140 min with 25 ml of collagenase (type I, C-0130, SIGMA-ALDRICH CHEMIE GmbH, Deisenhofen, Germany; 355 U/ml, prepared with Barth's solution without calcium in mM: NaCl 88, KCl 1, MgSO₄ 0.82, NaHCO₃ 2.4, Tris/HCI 5, pH 7.4), with constant shaking. Then, the oocytes are washed with Barth's solution without calcium. Only oocytes at maturity stage V (Dumont, 1972) are selected for the further treatment and transferred into microtitre plates (Nunc MicroWell™ plates, Cat. No. 245128+263339 (lid), Nunc GmbH & Co. KG, Wiesbaden, Germany), filled with Barth's solution (in MM: NaCl 88, KCl 1, MgSO₄ 0.82, Ca(NO₃)₂ 0.33, CaCl₂ 0.41, NaHCO₃, 2.4, Tris/HCI 5, pH 7.4) and gentamicin (gentamicin sulphate, G-3632, SIGMA-ALDRICH CHEMIE GmbH, Deisenhofen, Germany; 100 U/ml). The oocytes are then kept in a cooling incubator (type KB 53, WTB Binder Labortechnik GmbH, Tuttlingen, Germany) at 19.2° C.

[0086] 2. Injecting the oocytes

[0087] Injection electrodes of diameter 10-15 μm are prepared using a pipette-drawing device (type L/M-3P-A, list-electronic, Darmnstadt-Eberstadt, Germany). Prior to injection, aliquots with the receptor DNA or GIRK1/4-DNA are defrosted and diluted with water to a final concentration of 10 ng/μl. The DNA samples are centrifuged for 120 s at 3 200 g (type Biofuge 13, Heraeus Instruments GmbH, Hanau, Germany). An extended PE tube is subsequently used as transfer tube to fill the pipettes from the rear end. The injection electrodes are attached to an X,Y,Z positioning system (treatment centre EP1090, isel-automation, Eiterfeld, Germany). With the aid of a Macintosh Computer, the oocytes in the microtitre plate wells are approached, and approximately 50 nl of the DNA solution are injected into the oocytes by briefly applying a pressure (0.5-3.0 bar, 3-6 s).

[0088] 3. Electrophysiological measurements

[0089] A two-electrode voltage clamp equipped with a TURBO TEC-IOCD (npi electronic GmbH, Tamm, Germany) amplifier is used to carry out the electrophysiological measurements. The micropipettes required for this purpose are drawn in two movements from aluminium silicate glass (capillary tube, Art. No. 14 630 29, 1=100 mm, Ø_(ext)=1.60 mm, Ø_(int)=1.22 mm, Hilgenberg GmbH, Malsfeld, Germany) (Hamill et al., 1981). Current and voltage electrodes have a diameter of 1-3 μm and are filled with 1.5 M KCl and 1.5 M potassium acetate. The pipettes have a capacitance of 0.2-0.5 MW. To carry out the electrophysiological measurements, the oocytes are transferred into a small chamber which is flushed continuously with normal Rimland solution (in mM: KCl 90, MgCl₂ 3, HEPES 5, pH 7.2). To apply a substance, the perfusion solution is exchanged for a substance solution of the same composition and additionally the desired substance concentration. The successful expression of the receptor DNA is checked after one week at a clamp potential of −60 mV. Unresponsive oocytes are discarded. All the others are used for substance testing. The data are documented by means of a YT plotter (YT plotter, model BD 111, Kipp & Zonen Delft BV, AM Delft, the Netherlands). When test substances are assayed in concentration series, these measurements are carried out on at least two different oocytes and at at least five different concentrations. The substances are assayed directly without preincubation in the presence of glutamate (gamma-amino-N-butyric acid, A2129, SIGMA-ALDRICH CHEMIE GmbH, Deisenhofen, Germany) for their antagonists. The individual data are entered in Origin (evaluation software Microcal Origin, Microcal Software, Inc., Northampton, MA 01060-4410 USA [lacuna] (Additive GmbH, Friedrichsdorf/Ts, Germany). Means, standard deviation, IC₅₀ values and IC₅₀ curves are calculated using Origin. These measurements are carried out at least in duplicate.

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[0107] White J. H. et al. (1998), Heterodimerization is required for the formation of a functional GABA(B) receptor, Nature 396, 679-682

0 SEQUENCE LISTING <160> NUMBER OF SEQ ID NOS: 6 <210> SEQ ID NO 1 <211> LENGTH: 4341 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: Drosophila melanogaster <220> FEATURE: <221> NAME/KEY: CDS <222> LOCATION: (1)..(4341) <400> SEQUENCE: 1 atg ata cat aag ttg aat ggt act ttt gag tcc aac ttt cat gaa tat 48 Met Ile His Lys Leu Asn Gly Thr Phe Glu Ser Asn Phe His Glu Tyr 1 5 10 15 gac tcc aaa cgg aaa tac ata aga gtg tcc aag tac caa acc gcc tac 96 Asp Ser Lys Arg Lys Tyr Ile Arg Val Ser Lys Tyr Gln Thr Ala Tyr 20 25 30 gcc tgc gaa ggt aag aaa ctg acc atc gag tgc gat ccc ggc gat gtg 144 Ala Cys Glu Gly Lys Lys Leu Thr Ile Glu Cys Asp Pro Gly Asp Val 35 40 45 atc aac ctc att cgg gcc aac tat ggc cgc ttc tcg att acc atc tgc 192 Ile Asn Leu Ile Arg Ala Asn Tyr Gly Arg Phe Ser Ile Thr Ile Cys 50 55 60 aat gac cac ggg aat gtg gag tgg agt gtt aac tgc atg ttt ccc aag 240 Asn Asp His Gly Asn Val Glu Trp Ser Val Asn Cys Met Phe Pro Lys 65 70 75 80 tca ctc agc gta ctg aac tca aga tgt gcc cac aag cag agc tgc ggc 288 Ser Leu Ser Val Leu Asn Ser Arg Cys Ala His Lys Gln Ser Cys Gly 85 90 95 gtg ttg gca gcc acg agc atg ttc ggg gat ccc tgt ccc ggt acc cac 336 Val Leu Ala Ala Thr Ser Met Phe Gly Asp Pro Cys Pro Gly Thr His 100 105 110 aag tat ctg gag gca cac tac cag tgc ata agt gca gcc caa act tcg 384 Lys Tyr Leu Glu Ala His Tyr Gln Cys Ile Ser Ala Ala Gln Thr Ser 115 120 125 acg acg acc aac agg ccc agt ccg ccg cca tgg gtg ctg agc aat ggt 432 Thr Thr Thr Asn Arg Pro Ser Pro Pro Pro Trp Val Leu Ser Asn Gly 130 135 140 ccg ccg atc ttt ggc aac ggc agt gga ctg atc cat ccg ccc ggg gtt 480 Pro Pro Ile Phe Gly Asn Gly Ser Gly Leu Ile His Pro Pro Gly Val 145 150 155 160 gga gcg ggt gcg ccg ccc ccg ccg aga ctt ccc aca ctt ccc gga gtg 528 Gly Ala Gly Ala Pro Pro Pro Pro Arg Leu Pro Thr Leu Pro Gly Val 165 170 175 gtg gga atc agt ggg aat ccc ggc ctg ttc aac gta cca ccg caa cac 576 Val Gly Ile Ser Gly Asn Pro Gly Leu Phe Asn Val Pro Pro Gln His 180 185 190 acc gcc gtc acg cac tcc acg ccc tcg agc agc acg aca gcc gtg ggc 624 Thr Ala Val Thr His Ser Thr Pro Ser Ser Ser Thr Thr Ala Val Gly 195 200 205 ggt gga cgt ttg aag ggt ggg gcc acc tcc acg acg acc acc aag cat 672 Gly Gly Arg Leu Lys Gly Gly Ala Thr Ser Thr Thr Thr Thr Lys His 210 215 220 ccg gct ggc cgc cat gat ggt ctg cca ccg ccg ccg caa ctg cac cac 720 Pro Ala Gly Arg His Asp Gly Leu Pro Pro Pro Pro Gln Leu His His 225 230 235 240 cac cac aac cac cac ggt gaa gac act gcc tca ccc acc aag ccg agc 768 His His Asn His His Gly Glu Asp Thr Ala Ser Pro Thr Lys Pro Ser 245 250 255 agc aag ctg ccg gct ggc ggt aat gcc act tca cca tcc aac acg agg 816 Ser Lys Leu Pro Ala Gly Gly Asn Ala Thr Ser Pro Ser Asn Thr Arg 260 265 270 ata ctc acg ggc gtc gga ggt tcc gga act gat gac gga acc cta ctg 864 Ile Leu Thr Gly Val Gly Gly Ser Gly Thr Asp Asp Gly Thr Leu Leu 275 280 285 acc aca aag agc tca ccc aac cgc cca ccg ggc act gcg gcc agt gga 912 Thr Thr Lys Ser Ser Pro Asn Arg Pro Pro Gly Thr Ala Ala Ser Gly 290 295 300 tcc gtt gtc ccc ggg aac ggc agc gtg gtg cgc acc atc aac aat att 960 Ser Val Val Pro Gly Asn Gly Ser Val Val Arg Thr Ile Asn Asn Ile 305 310 315 320 aat ttg aac gca gcc ggg atg tcc gga ggc gat gat gag tcc aag ttg 1008 Asn Leu Asn Ala Ala Gly Met Ser Gly Gly Asp Asp Glu Ser Lys Leu 325 330 335 ttt tgc ggc ccc act cat gcc cgc aat ttg tac tgg aac atg act cga 1056 Phe Cys Gly Pro Thr His Ala Arg Asn Leu Tyr Trp Asn Met Thr Arg 340 345 350 gtg ggt gat gtg aat gtt cag ccc tgt cct ggc gga gca gcc ggc atc 1104 Val Gly Asp Val Asn Val Gln Pro Cys Pro Gly Gly Ala Ala Gly Ile 355 360 365 gcc aag tgg cgt tgc gtt cta atg aag agg ata ccc gac tcc ggc tac 1152 Ala Lys Trp Arg Cys Val Leu Met Lys Arg Ile Pro Asp Ser Gly Tyr 370 375 380 gat gag tac gat gat gac atc agt tcg aca act ccg gca ccc agc ggt 1200 Asp Glu Tyr Asp Asp Asp Ile Ser Ser Thr Thr Pro Ala Pro Ser Gly 385 390 395 400 ggc gac tgt ctg cac aac agc agc agc tgc gag ccg ccg gtg agc atg 1248 Gly Asp Cys Leu His Asn Ser Ser Ser Cys Glu Pro Pro Val Ser Met 405 410 415 gcc cac aag gta aac cag cgt ctg cgc aac ttt gag ccc acc tgg cat 1296 Ala His Lys Val Asn Gln Arg Leu Arg Asn Phe Glu Pro Thr Trp His 420 425 430 ccc gcg aca cct gat ctg acg caa tgc cgc agc ctt tgg ctc aac aat 1344 Pro Ala Thr Pro Asp Leu Thr Gln Cys Arg Ser Leu Trp Leu Asn Asn 435 440 445 ctg gaa atg cga gta aac cag cgg gac tcc tcc ttg atc tcc atc gcc 1392 Leu Glu Met Arg Val Asn Gln Arg Asp Ser Ser Leu Ile Ser Ile Ala 450 455 460 aac gat atg tcc gaa gtg acc agt agc aaa acg ctc tac ggc ggc gac 1440 Asn Asp Met Ser Glu Val Thr Ser Ser Lys Thr Leu Tyr Gly Gly Asp 465 470 475 480 atg ttg gtc acc acg aag att atc caa aca gtg tcc gag aag atg atg 1488 Met Leu Val Thr Thr Lys Ile Ile Gln Thr Val Ser Glu Lys Met Met 485 490 495 cac gac aag gag acc ttc ccg gat cag cga cag cgc gag gct atg atc 1536 His Asp Lys Glu Thr Phe Pro Asp Gln Arg Gln Arg Glu Ala Met Ile 500 505 510 atg gag ttg ttg cat tgt gtg gtc aaa acc ggc tcc aac ctg ctg gac 1584 Met Glu Leu Leu His Cys Val Val Lys Thr Gly Ser Asn Leu Leu Asp 515 520 525 gaa tcg cag ctg tcc tcg tgg ttg gat ctc aat ccg gag gac caa atg 1632 Glu Ser Gln Leu Ser Ser Trp Leu Asp Leu Asn Pro Glu Asp Gln Met 530 535 540 cgt gta gcc aca tcc ttg cta act ggc ctg gaa tac aat gcc ttt ctg 1680 Arg Val Ala Thr Ser Leu Leu Thr Gly Leu Glu Tyr Asn Ala Phe Leu 545 550 555 560 ctg gcg gat acg atc atc agg gag cgc agc gtg gtg caa aaa gtc aaa 1728 Leu Ala Asp Thr Ile Ile Arg Glu Arg Ser Val Val Gln Lys Val Lys 565 570 575 aat ata ttg ctc tcc gtt cga gtt ctg gaa acc aag act atc cag tcc 1776 Asn Ile Leu Leu Ser Val Arg Val Leu Glu Thr Lys Thr Ile Gln Ser 580 585 590 agc gtg gtc ttc cca gat tcg gat cag tgg ccc ttg agt tcg gat cgt 1824 Ser Val Val Phe Pro Asp Ser Asp Gln Trp Pro Leu Ser Ser Asp Arg 595 600 605 att gag ctg cca cga gct gct cta ata gat aat agt gaa ggc ggt ctg 1872 Ile Glu Leu Pro Arg Ala Ala Leu Ile Asp Asn Ser Glu Gly Gly Leu 610 615 620 gtg cga att gta ttc gcc gcc ttc gat cgc ctg gaa tcc att cta aag 1920 Val Arg Ile Val Phe Ala Ala Phe Asp Arg Leu Glu Ser Ile Leu Lys 625 630 635 640 ccc agc tat gat cac ttc gat ctc aag agc tcc cgc agt tac gcc atc 1968 Pro Ser Tyr Asp His Phe Asp Leu Lys Ser Ser Arg Ser Tyr Ala Ile 645 650 655 ctg agc aac gac agc gat gtc aac gcg ggg gag atc caa cag cgc cta 2016 Leu Ser Asn Asp Ser Asp Val Asn Ala Gly Glu Ile Gln Gln Arg Leu 660 665 670 cgc atc ctg aac agc aag gtg atc tcg gcc agc ttg ggc aag ggg cgt 2064 Arg Ile Leu Asn Ser Lys Val Ile Ser Ala Ser Leu Gly Lys Gly Arg 675 680 685 cac ata caa ctc tcc cag ccc ata acc ctg aca ctg aaa cat ctg aag 2112 His Ile Gln Leu Ser Gln Pro Ile Thr Leu Thr Leu Lys His Leu Lys 690 695 700 acc gag aat gta acg aat ccc acc tgc gtg ttc tgg aac tat att gac 2160 Thr Glu Asn Val Thr Asn Pro Thr Cys Val Phe Trp Asn Tyr Ile Asp 705 710 715 720 cat gcg tgg tct gcc aac gga tgc agt ctg gag tcc act aac cgc acg 2208 His Ala Trp Ser Ala Asn Gly Cys Ser Leu Glu Ser Thr Asn Arg Thr 725 730 735 cac agc gtc tgc agt tgc aac cac ctg aca aac ttt gcc ata cta atg 2256 His Ser Val Cys Ser Cys Asn His Leu Thr Asn Phe Ala Ile Leu Met 740 745 750 gac gtt gtg gat gag cac cag cat tcg ttg ttc acc atg ttc gat gga 2304 Asp Val Val Asp Glu His Gln His Ser Leu Phe Thr Met Phe Asp Gly 755 760 765 aac atg cgc ata ttc atc tac ata agc atc ggc atc tgc gtg gtc ttc 2352 Asn Met Arg Ile Phe Ile Tyr Ile Ser Ile Gly Ile Cys Val Val Phe 770 775 780 ata gtt atc gcc ctg cta acg ctg aag ctg ttc aat ggg gtc ttt gtg 2400 Ile Val Ile Ala Leu Leu Thr Leu Lys Leu Phe Asn Gly Val Phe Val 785 790 795 800 aag tcc gcg cgc acc tcg atc tat acc agc att tac ctt tgc ctc ctg 2448 Lys Ser Ala Arg Thr Ser Ile Tyr Thr Ser Ile Tyr Leu Cys Leu Leu 805 810 815 gcc atc gag ctg ctc ttt ctc ctg ggc att gaa cag acc gaa aca agc 2496 Ala Ile Glu Leu Leu Phe Leu Leu Gly Ile Glu Gln Thr Glu Thr Ser 820 825 830 att ttc tgc ggc ttc att act att ttc cta cac tgt gcc atc cta tcg 2544 Ile Phe Cys Gly Phe Ile Thr Ile Phe Leu His Cys Ala Ile Leu Ser 835 840 845 ggc acc gcc tgg ttc tgt tac gaa gcc ttc cat tcg tac tca acg ctc 2592 Gly Thr Ala Trp Phe Cys Tyr Glu Ala Phe His Ser Tyr Ser Thr Leu 850 855 860 acc tcg gac gag ctc ctg ctg gag gtg gac cag acg ccc aag gtg aac 2640 Thr Ser Asp Glu Leu Leu Leu Glu Val Asp Gln Thr Pro Lys Val Asn 865 870 875 880 tgc tac tac ctc ttg tcc tac gga ctg tcg ctg agc gtg gtg gcc atc 2688 Cys Tyr Tyr Leu Leu Ser Tyr Gly Leu Ser Leu Ser Val Val Ala Ile 885 890 895 tcg ctg gtc atc gat ccc agc acc tat acc caa aac gat tat tgc gtg 2736 Ser Leu Val Ile Asp Pro Ser Thr Tyr Thr Gln Asn Asp Tyr Cys Val 900 905 910 ctg atg gag gcg aat gcc ttg ttt tat gcc acc ttt gta ata cca gtg 2784 Leu Met Glu Ala Asn Ala Leu Phe Tyr Ala Thr Phe Val Ile Pro Val 915 920 925 ctt gtc ttc ttt gtg gct gcc att ggt tac aca ttc ctc tcc tgg att 2832 Leu Val Phe Phe Val Ala Ala Ile Gly Tyr Thr Phe Leu Ser Trp Ile 930 935 940 ata atg tgc cgc aaa agt cgc acg ggt cta aag acc aag gaa cat act 2880 Ile Met Cys Arg Lys Ser Arg Thr Gly Leu Lys Thr Lys Glu His Thr 945 950 955 960 cgc ctc gct agc gtg cgg ttc gac ata cgc tgc tcc ttt gtg ttc ctc 2928 Arg Leu Ala Ser Val Arg Phe Asp Ile Arg Cys Ser Phe Val Phe Leu 965 970 975 ttg ctg ctc agc gct gtt tgg tgc tcg gcc tac ttc tat ttg cga gga 2976 Leu Leu Leu Ser Ala Val Trp Cys Ser Ala Tyr Phe Tyr Leu Arg Gly 980 985 990 gcc aaa atg gac gat gac acg gct gat gtg tat gga tac tgc ttc atc 3024 Ala Lys Met Asp Asp Asp Thr Ala Asp Val Tyr Gly Tyr Cys Phe Ile 995 1000 1005 tgc ttc aac aca ttg ctg ggg ctc tat atc ttc gtg ttc cat tgc att 3072 Cys Phe Asn Thr Leu Leu Gly Leu Tyr Ile Phe Val Phe His Cys Ile 1010 1015 1020 caa aac gaa aag atc cgg cgg gag tat cgg aag tat gtg aga cag cac 3120 Gln Asn Glu Lys Ile Arg Arg Glu Tyr Arg Lys Tyr Val Arg Gln His 1025 1030 1035 1040 gct tgg ctg ccc aag tgc ttg cgc tgc tcg aaa aca tca att tcc tcg 3168 Ala Trp Leu Pro Lys Cys Leu Arg Cys Ser Lys Thr Ser Ile Ser Ser 1045 1050 1055 ggc att gtt acc ggc aat gga ccc aca gcc gga acc ctt tgc agc gtc 3216 Gly Ile Val Thr Gly Asn Gly Pro Thr Ala Gly Thr Leu Cys Ser Val 1060 1065 1070 tcc acg tcc aag aag ccc aag ctg ccg tta gga gtg agc gaa gag gcg 3264 Ser Thr Ser Lys Lys Pro Lys Leu Pro Leu Gly Val Ser Glu Glu Ala 1075 1080 1085 cat gac gat ccc cag cag caa cag cag aca cca gtg ccc atc aca gag 3312 His Asp Asp Pro Gln Gln Gln Gln Gln Thr Pro Val Pro Ile Thr Glu 1090 1095 1100 gat gcc att atg gga gcc acc tct gat tgt gaa ctg aac gag gcc cag 3360 Asp Ala Ile Met Gly Ala Thr Ser Asp Cys Glu Leu Asn Glu Ala Gln 1105 1110 1115 1120 caa aga aga acc cta aaa agt ggc cta atg acg ggc aca cta cag gct 3408 Gln Arg Arg Thr Leu Lys Ser Gly Leu Met Thr Gly Thr Leu Gln Ala 1125 1130 1135 cca ccg cag acc ctt ggt ggc cat gtt gtg ctc gaa aga ggt agc act 3456 Pro Pro Gln Thr Leu Gly Gly His Val Val Leu Glu Arg Gly Ser Thr 1140 1145 1150 ctc cgc tcc act ggt cat gcc tca ccc acc agc tct gcc ggg tcc aca 3504 Leu Arg Ser Thr Gly His Ala Ser Pro Thr Ser Ser Ala Gly Ser Thr 1155 1160 1165 cac ctg att ttt gcg cac aag caa caa caa caa cag cag caa cag gga 3552 His Leu Ile Phe Ala His Lys Gln Gln Gln Gln Gln Gln Gln Gln Gly 1170 1175 1180 cct ttg ggc gag tct tac tac cat cag ccg gac tac tac agc tgg aag 3600 Pro Leu Gly Glu Ser Tyr Tyr His Gln Pro Asp Tyr Tyr Ser Trp Lys 1185 1190 1195 1200 caa cca tca act gga aca gga gga ttg aaa aca ccg cgg gag tac tac 3648 Gln Pro Ser Thr Gly Thr Gly Gly Leu Lys Thr Pro Arg Glu Tyr Tyr 1205 1210 1215 aat aat gcg ggt gct gct gca tca tcg ccg aca ggc gca cga ggt att 3696 Asn Asn Ala Gly Ala Ala Ala Ser Ser Pro Thr Gly Ala Arg Gly Ile 1220 1225 1230 cta ctg gac tca aaa gcc gaa cag cgg cca caa tgg caa aaa gaa gag 3744 Leu Leu Asp Ser Lys Ala Glu Gln Arg Pro Gln Trp Gln Lys Glu Glu 1235 1240 1245 ggg cgc cgg agg agt tcc cgc ctc gcc tat cgc acg gcc gcc gcc tcc 3792 Gly Arg Arg Arg Ser Ser Arg Leu Ala Tyr Arg Thr Ala Ala Ala Ser 1250 1255 1260 cag gtg ctt ttc tat cca tcg tac aag aag acc aag cct ggc cag cca 3840 Gln Val Leu Phe Tyr Pro Ser Tyr Lys Lys Thr Lys Pro Gly Gln Pro 1265 1270 1275 1280 aca ggc tat ccg caa tac gcg gag gcg ttg gac cca cca cta gcc act 3888 Thr Gly Tyr Pro Gln Tyr Ala Glu Ala Leu Asp Pro Pro Leu Ala Thr 1285 1290 1295 ggc aat gcg gct gcc tac tac cag cag cag caa cag ttg cgt cgc cag 3936 Gly Asn Ala Ala Ala Tyr Tyr Gln Gln Gln Gln Gln Leu Arg Arg Gln 1300 1305 1310 cag cta cat cag cag cag caa cag cag cag cag cag caa ctc tcc tcg 3984 Gln Leu His Gln Gln Gln Gln Gln Gln Gln Gln Gln Gln Leu Ser Ser 1315 1320 1325 gac gag gag cag gcc gag caa cat gct cac ctg ttg cac ctg caa cga 4032 Asp Glu Glu Gln Ala Glu Gln His Ala His Leu Leu His Leu Gln Arg 1330 1335 1340 cga gct ggt agc cag cag cag ctc cct gct cca ccg cca cac atg gcg 4080 Arg Ala Gly Ser Gln Gln Gln Leu Pro Ala Pro Pro Pro His Met Ala 1345 1350 1355 1360 cag tac cag cag gag ttt atg cag cgc cag tat aga aat aag cat tcc 4128 Gln Tyr Gln Gln Glu Phe Met Gln Arg Gln Tyr Arg Asn Lys His Ser 1365 1370 1375 aac tgt gat ctg ggc atg ggc gat gcc tac tac aac caa ggc agc gtc 4176 Asn Cys Asp Leu Gly Met Gly Asp Ala Tyr Tyr Asn Gln Gly Ser Val 1380 1385 1390 ggc ggc gcg gat ggt ggg ccg gtc tac gag gag atc ctc agc aac cgc 4224 Gly Gly Ala Asp Gly Gly Pro Val Tyr Glu Glu Ile Leu Ser Asn Arg 1395 1400 1405 aac tcg gat gtg cag cat tac gag gtg ggt gac ttc gat gtg gac gag 4272 Asn Ser Asp Val Gln His Tyr Glu Val Gly Asp Phe Asp Val Asp Glu 1410 1415 1420 gtg tac aac aat agc gtt ggc act ggc gtc ttc aac aac atg aga gcg 4320 Val Tyr Asn Asn Ser Val Gly Thr Gly Val Phe Asn Asn Met Arg Ala 1425 1430 1435 1440 gcg gtg gcc gcc ggc ggt agt 4341 Ala Val Ala Ala Gly Gly Ser 1445 <210> SEQ ID NO 2 <211> LENGTH: 1447 <212> TYPE: PRT <213> ORGANISM: Drosophila melanogaster <400> SEQUENCE: 2 Met Ile His Lys Leu Asn Gly Thr Phe Glu Ser Asn Phe His Glu Tyr 1 5 10 15 Asp Ser Lys Arg Lys Tyr Ile Arg Val Ser Lys Tyr Gln Thr Ala Tyr 20 25 30 Ala Cys Glu Gly Lys Lys Leu Thr Ile Glu Cys Asp Pro Gly Asp Val 35 40 45 Ile Asn Leu Ile Arg Ala Asn Tyr Gly Arg Phe Ser Ile Thr Ile Cys 50 55 60 Asn Asp His Gly Asn Val Glu Trp Ser Val Asn Cys Met Phe Pro Lys 65 70 75 80 Ser Leu Ser Val Leu Asn Ser Arg Cys Ala His Lys Gln Ser Cys Gly 85 90 95 Val Leu Ala Ala Thr Ser Met Phe Gly Asp Pro Cys Pro Gly Thr His 100 105 110 Lys Tyr Leu Glu Ala His Tyr Gln Cys Ile Ser Ala Ala Gln Thr Ser 115 120 125 Thr Thr Thr Asn Arg Pro Ser Pro Pro Pro Trp Val Leu Ser Asn Gly 130 135 140 Pro Pro Ile Phe Gly Asn Gly Ser Gly Leu Ile His Pro Pro Gly Val 145 150 155 160 Gly Ala Gly Ala Pro Pro Pro Pro Arg Leu Pro Thr Leu Pro Gly Val 165 170 175 Val Gly Ile Ser Gly Asn Pro Gly Leu Phe Asn Val Pro Pro Gln His 180 185 190 Thr Ala Val Thr His Ser Thr Pro Ser Ser Ser Thr Thr Ala Val Gly 195 200 205 Gly Gly Arg Leu Lys Gly Gly Ala Thr Ser Thr Thr Thr Thr Lys His 210 215 220 Pro Ala Gly Arg His Asp Gly Leu Pro Pro Pro Pro Gln Leu His His 225 230 235 240 His His Asn His His Gly Glu Asp Thr Ala Ser Pro Thr Lys Pro Ser 245 250 255 Ser Lys Leu Pro Ala Gly Gly Asn Ala Thr Ser Pro Ser Asn Thr Arg 260 265 270 Ile Leu Thr Gly Val Gly Gly Ser Gly Thr Asp Asp Gly Thr Leu Leu 275 280 285 Thr Thr Lys Ser Ser Pro Asn Arg Pro Pro Gly Thr Ala Ala Ser Gly 290 295 300 Ser Val Val Pro Gly Asn Gly Ser Val Val Arg Thr Ile Asn Asn Ile 305 310 315 320 Asn Leu Asn Ala Ala Gly Met Ser Gly Gly Asp Asp Glu Ser Lys Leu 325 330 335 Phe Cys Gly Pro Thr His Ala Arg Asn Leu Tyr Trp Asn Met Thr Arg 340 345 350 Val Gly Asp Val Asn Val Gln Pro Cys Pro Gly Gly Ala Ala Gly Ile 355 360 365 Ala Lys Trp Arg Cys Val Leu Met Lys Arg Ile Pro Asp Ser Gly Tyr 370 375 380 Asp Glu Tyr Asp Asp Asp Ile Ser Ser Thr Thr Pro Ala Pro Ser Gly 385 390 395 400 Gly Asp Cys Leu His Asn Ser Ser Ser Cys Glu Pro Pro Val Ser Met 405 410 415 Ala His Lys Val Asn Gln Arg Leu Arg Asn Phe Glu Pro Thr Trp His 420 425 430 Pro Ala Thr Pro Asp Leu Thr Gln Cys Arg Ser Leu Trp Leu Asn Asn 435 440 445 Leu Glu Met Arg Val Asn Gln Arg Asp Ser Ser Leu Ile Ser Ile Ala 450 455 460 Asn Asp Met Ser Glu Val Thr Ser Ser Lys Thr Leu Tyr Gly Gly Asp 465 470 475 480 Met Leu Val Thr Thr Lys Ile Ile Gln Thr Val Ser Glu Lys Met Met 485 490 495 His Asp Lys Glu Thr Phe Pro Asp Gln Arg Gln Arg Glu Ala Met Ile 500 505 510 Met Glu Leu Leu His Cys Val Val Lys Thr Gly Ser Asn Leu Leu Asp 515 520 525 Glu Ser Gln Leu Ser Ser Trp Leu Asp Leu Asn Pro Glu Asp Gln Met 530 535 540 Arg Val Ala Thr Ser Leu Leu Thr Gly Leu Glu Tyr Asn Ala Phe Leu 545 550 555 560 Leu Ala Asp Thr Ile Ile Arg Glu Arg Ser Val Val Gln Lys Val Lys 565 570 575 Asn Ile Leu Leu Ser Val Arg Val Leu Glu Thr Lys Thr Ile Gln Ser 580 585 590 Ser Val Val Phe Pro Asp Ser Asp Gln Trp Pro Leu Ser Ser Asp Arg 595 600 605 Ile Glu Leu Pro Arg Ala Ala Leu Ile Asp Asn Ser Glu Gly Gly Leu 610 615 620 Val Arg Ile Val Phe Ala Ala Phe Asp Arg Leu Glu Ser Ile Leu Lys 625 630 635 640 Pro Ser Tyr Asp His Phe Asp Leu Lys Ser Ser Arg Ser Tyr Ala Ile 645 650 655 Leu Ser Asn Asp Ser Asp Val Asn Ala Gly Glu Ile Gln Gln Arg Leu 660 665 670 Arg Ile Leu Asn Ser Lys Val Ile Ser Ala Ser Leu Gly Lys Gly Arg 675 680 685 His Ile Gln Leu Ser Gln Pro Ile Thr Leu Thr Leu Lys His Leu Lys 690 695 700 Thr Glu Asn Val Thr Asn Pro Thr Cys Val Phe Trp Asn Tyr Ile Asp 705 710 715 720 His Ala Trp Ser Ala Asn Gly Cys Ser Leu Glu Ser Thr Asn Arg Thr 725 730 735 His Ser Val Cys Ser Cys Asn His Leu Thr Asn Phe Ala Ile Leu Met 740 745 750 Asp Val Val Asp Glu His Gln His Ser Leu Phe Thr Met Phe Asp Gly 755 760 765 Asn Met Arg Ile Phe Ile Tyr Ile Ser Ile Gly Ile Cys Val Val Phe 770 775 780 Ile Val Ile Ala Leu Leu Thr Leu Lys Leu Phe Asn Gly Val Phe Val 785 790 795 800 Lys Ser Ala Arg Thr Ser Ile Tyr Thr Ser Ile Tyr Leu Cys Leu Leu 805 810 815 Ala Ile Glu Leu Leu Phe Leu Leu Gly Ile Glu Gln Thr Glu Thr Ser 820 825 830 Ile Phe Cys Gly Phe Ile Thr Ile Phe Leu His Cys Ala Ile Leu Ser 835 840 845 Gly Thr Ala Trp Phe Cys Tyr Glu Ala Phe His Ser Tyr Ser Thr Leu 850 855 860 Thr Ser Asp Glu Leu Leu Leu Glu Val Asp Gln Thr Pro Lys Val Asn 865 870 875 880 Cys Tyr Tyr Leu Leu Ser Tyr Gly Leu Ser Leu Ser Val Val Ala Ile 885 890 895 Ser Leu Val Ile Asp Pro Ser Thr Tyr Thr Gln Asn Asp Tyr Cys Val 900 905 910 Leu Met Glu Ala Asn Ala Leu Phe Tyr Ala Thr Phe Val Ile Pro Val 915 920 925 Leu Val Phe Phe Val Ala Ala Ile Gly Tyr Thr Phe Leu Ser Trp Ile 930 935 940 Ile Met Cys Arg Lys Ser Arg Thr Gly Leu Lys Thr Lys Glu His Thr 945 950 955 960 Arg Leu Ala Ser Val Arg Phe Asp Ile Arg Cys Ser Phe Val Phe Leu 965 970 975 Leu Leu Leu Ser Ala Val Trp Cys Ser Ala Tyr Phe Tyr Leu Arg Gly 980 985 990 Ala Lys Met Asp Asp Asp Thr Ala Asp Val Tyr Gly Tyr Cys Phe Ile 995 1000 1005 Cys Phe Asn Thr Leu Leu Gly Leu Tyr Ile Phe Val Phe His Cys Ile 1010 1015 1020 Gln Asn Glu Lys Ile Arg Arg Glu Tyr Arg Lys Tyr Val Arg Gln His 1025 1030 1035 1040 Ala Trp Leu Pro Lys Cys Leu Arg Cys Ser Lys Thr Ser Ile Ser Ser 1045 1050 1055 Gly Ile Val Thr Gly Asn Gly Pro Thr Ala Gly Thr Leu Cys Ser Val 1060 1065 1070 Ser Thr Ser Lys Lys Pro Lys Leu Pro Leu Gly Val Ser Glu Glu Ala 1075 1080 1085 His Asp Asp Pro Gln Gln Gln Gln Gln Thr Pro Val Pro Ile Thr Glu 1090 1095 1100 Asp Ala Ile Met Gly Ala Thr Ser Asp Cys Glu Leu Asn Glu Ala Gln 1105 1110 1115 1120 Gln Arg Arg Thr Leu Lys Ser Gly Leu Met Thr Gly Thr Leu Gln Ala 1125 1130 1135 Pro Pro Gln Thr Leu Gly Gly His Val Val Leu Glu Arg Gly Ser Thr 1140 1145 1150 Leu Arg Ser Thr Gly His Ala Ser Pro Thr Ser Ser Ala Gly Ser Thr 1155 1160 1165 His Leu Ile Phe Ala His Lys Gln Gln Gln Gln Gln Gln Gln Gln Gly 1170 1175 1180 Pro Leu Gly Glu Ser Tyr Tyr His Gln Pro Asp Tyr Tyr Ser Trp Lys 1185 1190 1195 1200 Gln Pro Ser Thr Gly Thr Gly Gly Leu Lys Thr Pro Arg Glu Tyr Tyr 1205 1210 1215 Asn Asn Ala Gly Ala Ala Ala Ser Ser Pro Thr Gly Ala Arg Gly Ile 1220 1225 1230 Leu Leu Asp Ser Lys Ala Glu Gln Arg Pro Gln Trp Gln Lys Glu Glu 1235 1240 1245 Gly Arg Arg Arg Ser Ser Arg Leu Ala Tyr Arg Thr Ala Ala Ala Ser 1250 1255 1260 Gln Val Leu Phe Tyr Pro Ser Tyr Lys Lys Thr Lys Pro Gly Gln Pro 1265 1270 1275 1280 Thr Gly Tyr Pro Gln Tyr Ala Glu Ala Leu Asp Pro Pro Leu Ala Thr 1285 1290 1295 Gly Asn Ala Ala Ala Tyr Tyr Gln Gln Gln Gln Gln Leu Arg Arg Gln 1300 1305 1310 Gln Leu His Gln Gln Gln Gln Gln Gln Gln Gln Gln Gln Leu Ser Ser 1315 1320 1325 Asp Glu Glu Gln Ala Glu Gln His Ala His Leu Leu His Leu Gln Arg 1330 1335 1340 Arg Ala Gly Ser Gln Gln Gln Leu Pro Ala Pro Pro Pro His Met Ala 1345 1350 1355 1360 Gln Tyr Gln Gln Glu Phe Met Gln Arg Gln Tyr Arg Asn Lys His Ser 1365 1370 1375 Asn Cys Asp Leu Gly Met Gly Asp Ala Tyr Tyr Asn Gln Gly Ser Val 1380 1385 1390 Gly Gly Ala Asp Gly Gly Pro Val Tyr Glu Glu Ile Leu Ser Asn Arg 1395 1400 1405 Asn Ser Asp Val Gln His Tyr Glu Val Gly Asp Phe Asp Val Asp Glu 1410 1415 1420 Val Tyr Asn Asn Ser Val Gly Thr Gly Val Phe Asn Asn Met Arg Ala 1425 1430 1435 1440 Ala Val Ala Ala Gly Gly Ser 1445 <210> SEQ ID NO 3 <211> LENGTH: 4065 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: Drosophila melanogaster <220> FEATURE: <221> NAME/KEY: CDS <222> LOCATION: (1)..(4062) <221> NAME/KEY: n <222> LOCATION: 4064, 4065 <223> OTHER INFORMATION: n is a or g or c or t/u, unknown or other <400> SEQUENCE: 3 ata cat aag ttg aat ggt act ttt gag tcc aac ttt cat gaa tat gac 48 Ile His Lys Leu Asn Gly Thr Phe Glu Ser Asn Phe His Glu Tyr Asp 1 5 10 15 tcc aaa cgg aaa tac ata aga gtg tcc aag tac caa acc gcc tac gcc 96 Ser Lys Arg Lys Tyr Ile Arg Val Ser Lys Tyr Gln Thr Ala Tyr Ala 20 25 30 tgc gaa ggt aag aaa ctg acc atc gag tgc gat ccc ggc gat gtg atc 144 Cys Glu Gly Lys Lys Leu Thr Ile Glu Cys Asp Pro Gly Asp Val Ile 35 40 45 aac ctc att cgg gcc aac tat ggc cgc ttc tcg att acc atc tgc aat 192 Asn Leu Ile Arg Ala Asn Tyr Gly Arg Phe Ser Ile Thr Ile Cys Asn 50 55 60 gac cac ggg aat gtg gag tgg agt gtt aac tgc atg ttt ccc aag tca 240 Asp His Gly Asn Val Glu Trp Ser Val Asn Cys Met Phe Pro Lys Ser 65 70 75 80 ctc agc gta ctg aac tca aga tgt gcc cac aag cag agc tgc ggc gtg 288 Leu Ser Val Leu Asn Ser Arg Cys Ala His Lys Gln Ser Cys Gly Val 85 90 95 ttg gca gcc acg agc atg ttc ggg gat ccc tgt ccc ggt acc cac aag 336 Leu Ala Ala Thr Ser Met Phe Gly Asp Pro Cys Pro Gly Thr His Lys 100 105 110 tat ctg gag gca cac tac cag tgc ata agt gca gcc caa act tcg acg 384 Tyr Leu Glu Ala His Tyr Gln Cys Ile Ser Ala Ala Gln Thr Ser Thr 115 120 125 acg acc aac agg ccc agt ccg ccg cca tgg gtg ctg agc aat ggt ccg 432 Thr Thr Asn Arg Pro Ser Pro Pro Pro Trp Val Leu Ser Asn Gly Pro 130 135 140 ccg atc ttt ggc aac ggc agt gga ctg atc cat ccg ccc ggg gtt gga 480 Pro Ile Phe Gly Asn Gly Ser Gly Leu Ile His Pro Pro Gly Val Gly 145 150 155 160 gcg ggt gcg ccg ccc ccg ccg aga ctt ccc aca ctt ccc gga gtg gtg 528 Ala Gly Ala Pro Pro Pro Pro Arg Leu Pro Thr Leu Pro Gly Val Val 165 170 175 gga atc agt ggg aat ccc ggc ctg ttc aac gta cca ccg caa cac acc 576 Gly Ile Ser Gly Asn Pro Gly Leu Phe Asn Val Pro Pro Gln His Thr 180 185 190 gcc gtc acg cac tcc acg ccc tcg agc agc acg aca gcc gtg ggc ggt 624 Ala Val Thr His Ser Thr Pro Ser Ser Ser Thr Thr Ala Val Gly Gly 195 200 205 gga cgt ttg aag ggt ggg gcc acc tcc acg acg acc acc aag cat ccg 672 Gly Arg Leu Lys Gly Gly Ala Thr Ser Thr Thr Thr Thr Lys His Pro 210 215 220 gct ggc cgc cat gat ggt ctg cca ccg ccg ccg caa ctg cac cac cac 720 Ala Gly Arg His Asp Gly Leu Pro Pro Pro Pro Gln Leu His His His 225 230 235 240 cac aac cac cac ggt gaa gac act gcc tca ccc acc aag ccg agc agc 768 His Asn His His Gly Glu Asp Thr Ala Ser Pro Thr Lys Pro Ser Ser 245 250 255 aag ctg ccg gct ggc ggt aat gcc act tca cca tcc aac acg agg ata 816 Lys Leu Pro Ala Gly Gly Asn Ala Thr Ser Pro Ser Asn Thr Arg Ile 260 265 270 ctc acg ggc gtc gga ggt tcc gga act gat gac gga acc cta ctg acc 864 Leu Thr Gly Val Gly Gly Ser Gly Thr Asp Asp Gly Thr Leu Leu Thr 275 280 285 aca aag agc tca ccc aac cgc cca ccg ggc act gcg gcc agt gga tcc 912 Thr Lys Ser Ser Pro Asn Arg Pro Pro Gly Thr Ala Ala Ser Gly Ser 290 295 300 gtt gtc ccc ggg aac ggc agc gtg gtg cgc acc atc aac aat att aat 960 Val Val Pro Gly Asn Gly Ser Val Val Arg Thr Ile Asn Asn Ile Asn 305 310 315 320 ttg aac gca gcc ggg atg tcc gga ggc gat gat gag tcc aag ttg ttt 1008 Leu Asn Ala Ala Gly Met Ser Gly Gly Asp Asp Glu Ser Lys Leu Phe 325 330 335 tgc ggc ccc act cat gcc cgc aat ttg tac tgg aac atg act cga gtg 1056 Cys Gly Pro Thr His Ala Arg Asn Leu Tyr Trp Asn Met Thr Arg Val 340 345 350 ggt gat gtg aat gtt cag ccc tgt cct ggc gga gca gcc ggc atc gcc 1104 Gly Asp Val Asn Val Gln Pro Cys Pro Gly Gly Ala Ala Gly Ile Ala 355 360 365 aag tgg cgt tgc gtt cta atg aag agg ata ccc gac tcc ggc tac gat 1152 Lys Trp Arg Cys Val Leu Met Lys Arg Ile Pro Asp Ser Gly Tyr Asp 370 375 380 gag tac gat gat gac atc agt tcg aca act ccg gca ccc agc ggt ggc 1200 Glu Tyr Asp Asp Asp Ile Ser Ser Thr Thr Pro Ala Pro Ser Gly Gly 385 390 395 400 gac tgt ctg cac aac agc agc agc tgc gag ccg ccg gtg agc atg gcc 1248 Asp Cys Leu His Asn Ser Ser Ser Cys Glu Pro Pro Val Ser Met Ala 405 410 415 cac aag gta aac cag cgt ctg cgc aac ttt gag ccc acc tgg cat ccc 1296 His Lys Val Asn Gln Arg Leu Arg Asn Phe Glu Pro Thr Trp His Pro 420 425 430 gcg aca cct gat ctg acg caa tgc cgc agc ctt tgg ctc aac aat ctg 1344 Ala Thr Pro Asp Leu Thr Gln Cys Arg Ser Leu Trp Leu Asn Asn Leu 435 440 445 gaa atg cga gta aac cag cgg gac tcc tcc ttg atc tcc atc gcc aac 1392 Glu Met Arg Val Asn Gln Arg Asp Ser Ser Leu Ile Ser Ile Ala Asn 450 455 460 gat atg tcc gaa gtg acc agt agc aaa acg ctc tac ggc ggc gac atg 1440 Asp Met Ser Glu Val Thr Ser Ser Lys Thr Leu Tyr Gly Gly Asp Met 465 470 475 480 ttg gtc acc acg aag att atc caa aca gtg tcc gag aag atg atg cac 1488 Leu Val Thr Thr Lys Ile Ile Gln Thr Val Ser Glu Lys Met Met His 485 490 495 gac aag gag acc ttc ccg gat cag cga cag cgc gag gct atg atc atg 1536 Asp Lys Glu Thr Phe Pro Asp Gln Arg Gln Arg Glu Ala Met Ile Met 500 505 510 gag ttg ttg cat tgt gtg gtc aaa acc ggc tcc aac ctg ctg gac gaa 1584 Glu Leu Leu His Cys Val Val Lys Thr Gly Ser Asn Leu Leu Asp Glu 515 520 525 tcg cag ctg tcc tcg tgg ttg gat ctc aat ccg gag gac caa atg cgt 1632 Ser Gln Leu Ser Ser Trp Leu Asp Leu Asn Pro Glu Asp Gln Met Arg 530 535 540 gta gcc aca tcc ttg cta act ggc ctg gaa tac aat gcc ttt ctg ctg 1680 Val Ala Thr Ser Leu Leu Thr Gly Leu Glu Tyr Asn Ala Phe Leu Leu 545 550 555 560 gcg gat acg atc atc agg gag cgc agc gtg gtg caa aaa gtc aaa aat 1728 Ala Asp Thr Ile Ile Arg Glu Arg Ser Val Val Gln Lys Val Lys Asn 565 570 575 ata ttg ctc tcc gtt cga gtt ctg gaa acc aag act atc cag tcc agc 1776 Ile Leu Leu Ser Val Arg Val Leu Glu Thr Lys Thr Ile Gln Ser Ser 580 585 590 gtg gtc ttc cca gat tcg gat cag tgg ccc ttg agt tcg gat cgt att 1824 Val Val Phe Pro Asp Ser Asp Gln Trp Pro Leu Ser Ser Asp Arg Ile 595 600 605 gag ctg cca cga gct gct cta ata gat aat agt gaa ggc ggt ctg gtg 1872 Glu Leu Pro Arg Ala Ala Leu Ile Asp Asn Ser Glu Gly Gly Leu Val 610 615 620 cga att gta ttc gcc gcc ttc gat cgc ctg gaa tcc att cta aag ccc 1920 Arg Ile Val Phe Ala Ala Phe Asp Arg Leu Glu Ser Ile Leu Lys Pro 625 630 635 640 agc tat gat cac ttc gat ctc aag agc tcc cgc agt tac gcc atc ctg 1968 Ser Tyr Asp His Phe Asp Leu Lys Ser Ser Arg Ser Tyr Ala Ile Leu 645 650 655 agc aac gac agc gat gtc aac gcg ggg gag atc caa cag cgc cta cgc 2016 Ser Asn Asp Ser Asp Val Asn Ala Gly Glu Ile Gln Gln Arg Leu Arg 660 665 670 atc ctg aac agc aag gtg atc tcg gcc agc ttg ggc aag ggg cgt cac 2064 Ile Leu Asn Ser Lys Val Ile Ser Ala Ser Leu Gly Lys Gly Arg His 675 680 685 ata caa ctc tcc cag ccc ata acc ctg aca ctg aaa cat ctg aag acc 2112 Ile Gln Leu Ser Gln Pro Ile Thr Leu Thr Leu Lys His Leu Lys Thr 690 695 700 gag aat gta acg aat ccc acc tgc gtg ttc tgg aac tat att gac cat 2160 Glu Asn Val Thr Asn Pro Thr Cys Val Phe Trp Asn Tyr Ile Asp His 705 710 715 720 gcg tgg tct gcc aac gga tgc agt ctg gag tcc act aac cgc acg cac 2208 Ala Trp Ser Ala Asn Gly Cys Ser Leu Glu Ser Thr Asn Arg Thr His 725 730 735 agc gtc tgc agt tgc aac cac ctg aca aac ttt gcc ata cta atg gac 2256 Ser Val Cys Ser Cys Asn His Leu Thr Asn Phe Ala Ile Leu Met Asp 740 745 750 gtt gtg gat gag cac cag cat tcg ttg ttc acc atg ttc gat gga aac 2304 Val Val Asp Glu His Gln His Ser Leu Phe Thr Met Phe Asp Gly Asn 755 760 765 atg cgc ata ttc atc tac ata agc atc ggc atc tgc gtg gtc ttc ata 2352 Met Arg Ile Phe Ile Tyr Ile Ser Ile Gly Ile Cys Val Val Phe Ile 770 775 780 gtt atc gcc ctg cta acg ctg aag ctg ttc aat ggg gtc ttt gtg aag 2400 Val Ile Ala Leu Leu Thr Leu Lys Leu Phe Asn Gly Val Phe Val Lys 785 790 795 800 gta aga aac ggc tcc aat ccc ttg ccg cat cag cgg tcg ggc agc aga 2448 Val Arg Asn Gly Ser Asn Pro Leu Pro His Gln Arg Ser Gly Ser Arg 805 810 815 cgc cag caa aac aat att cgc gac cag acc cac gag tcc ttg acc ctg 2496 Arg Gln Gln Asn Asn Ile Arg Asp Gln Thr His Glu Ser Leu Thr Leu 820 825 830 acc acg cca acc agt cag tcc aat gtg ccg ccg ccc agt cat ggg aac 2544 Thr Thr Pro Thr Ser Gln Ser Asn Val Pro Pro Pro Ser His Gly Asn 835 840 845 acg aac ttt atc caa cac aat tcc atc cgc aac tca cac cgc aac aat 2592 Thr Asn Phe Ile Gln His Asn Ser Ile Arg Asn Ser His Arg Asn Asn 850 855 860 ctg aac tac aat gtc caa cag cag cag cag caa cag caa caa caa gtt 2640 Leu Asn Tyr Asn Val Gln Gln Gln Gln Gln Gln Gln Gln Gln Gln Val 865 870 875 880 gtt gcg gca gct gct gct gct gtt gtg ctg tcc aat cag ccg cag cga 2688 Val Ala Ala Ala Ala Ala Ala Val Val Leu Ser Asn Gln Pro Gln Arg 885 890 895 aat atg caa cat gcc atg aac aac ttg aat ctg aat ctg cat cag cac 2736 Asn Met Gln His Ala Met Asn Asn Leu Asn Leu Asn Leu His Gln His 900 905 910 ggt cag cag acg gct gct gct gca gct gct gct gcc tca ata gcc gct 2784 Gly Gln Gln Thr Ala Ala Ala Ala Ala Ala Ala Ala Ser Ile Ala Ala 915 920 925 gca ctg cag caa cat gca gtt cag gcc agc aac gcc agc aat aac ctc 2832 Ala Leu Gln Gln His Ala Val Gln Ala Ser Asn Ala Ser Asn Asn Leu 930 935 940 aac atc agc cac aac tat ctg cag cag cag cat gtc cag cag cag cag 2880 Asn Ile Ser His Asn Tyr Leu Gln Gln Gln His Val Gln Gln Gln Gln 945 950 955 960 cag cag cag cgt ggc cag cag ccg cag cca cat ccg cac cgc aat cac 2928 Gln Gln Gln Arg Gly Gln Gln Pro Gln Pro His Pro His Arg Asn His 965 970 975 aac ctt aat gtg gac ggc aat gga ttg gat aac acg aac aac atc att 2976 Asn Leu Asn Val Asp Gly Asn Gly Leu Asp Asn Thr Asn Asn Ile Ile 980 985 990 atg cag gcc aac atg gac gac tta caa tat aag tgg tgg tgg tgt ccg 3024 Met Gln Ala Asn Met Asp Asp Leu Gln Tyr Lys Trp Trp Trp Cys Pro 995 1000 1005 cgc gca cct cga tct ata cca gca ttt acc ttt gcc tcc tgg cca tcg 3072 Arg Ala Pro Arg Ser Ile Pro Ala Phe Thr Phe Ala Ser Trp Pro Ser 1010 1015 1020 agc tgc tct ttc tcc tgg gca ttg aac aga ccg aaa caa gca ttc tgc 3120 Ser Cys Ser Phe Ser Trp Ala Leu Asn Arg Pro Lys Gln Ala Phe Cys 1025 1030 1035 1040 ggc ttc att act att ttc cta cac tgt gcc atc cta tcg ggc acc gcc 3168 Gly Phe Ile Thr Ile Phe Leu His Cys Ala Ile Leu Ser Gly Thr Ala 1045 1050 1055 tgg ttc tgt tac gaa gcc ttc cat tcg tac tca acg ctc acc tcg gac 3216 Trp Phe Cys Tyr Glu Ala Phe His Ser Tyr Ser Thr Leu Thr Ser Asp 1060 1065 1070 gag ctc ctg ctg gag gtg gac cag acg ccc aag gtg aac tgc tac tac 3264 Glu Leu Leu Leu Glu Val Asp Gln Thr Pro Lys Val Asn Cys Tyr Tyr 1075 1080 1085 ctc ttg tcc tac gga ctg tcg ctg agc gtg gtg gcc atc tcg ctg gtc 3312 Leu Leu Ser Tyr Gly Leu Ser Leu Ser Val Val Ala Ile Ser Leu Val 1090 1095 1100 atc gat ccc agc acc tat acc caa aac gat tat tgc gtg ctg atg gag 3360 Ile Asp Pro Ser Thr Tyr Thr Gln Asn Asp Tyr Cys Val Leu Met Glu 1105 1110 1115 1120 gcg aat gcc ttg ttt tat gcc acc ttt gta ata cca gtg ctt gtc ttc 3408 Ala Asn Ala Leu Phe Tyr Ala Thr Phe Val Ile Pro Val Leu Val Phe 1125 1130 1135 ttt gtg gct gcc att ggt tac aca ttc ctc tcc tgg att ata atg tgc 3456 Phe Val Ala Ala Ile Gly Tyr Thr Phe Leu Ser Trp Ile Ile Met Cys 1140 1145 1150 cgc aaa agt cgc acg ggt cta aag acc aag gaa cat act cgc ctc gct 3504 Arg Lys Ser Arg Thr Gly Leu Lys Thr Lys Glu His Thr Arg Leu Ala 1155 1160 1165 agc gtg cgg ttc gac ata cgc tgc tcc ttt gtg ttc ctc ttg ctg ctc 3552 Ser Val Arg Phe Asp Ile Arg Cys Ser Phe Val Phe Leu Leu Leu Leu 1170 1175 1180 agc gct gtt tgg tgc tcg gcc tac ttc tat ttg cga gga gcc aaa atg 3600 Ser Ala Val Trp Cys Ser Ala Tyr Phe Tyr Leu Arg Gly Ala Lys Met 1185 1190 1195 1200 gac gat gac acg gct gat gtg tat gga tac tgc ttc atc tgc ttc aac 3648 Asp Asp Asp Thr Ala Asp Val Tyr Gly Tyr Cys Phe Ile Cys Phe Asn 1205 1210 1215 aca ttg ctg ggg ctc tat atc ttc gtg ttc cat tgc att caa aac gaa 3696 Thr Leu Leu Gly Leu Tyr Ile Phe Val Phe His Cys Ile Gln Asn Glu 1220 1225 1230 aag atc cgg cgg gag tat cgg aag tat gtg aga cag cac gct tgg ctg 3744 Lys Ile Arg Arg Glu Tyr Arg Lys Tyr Val Arg Gln His Ala Trp Leu 1235 1240 1245 ccc aag tgc ttg cgc tgc tcg aaa aca tca att tcc tcg ggc att gtt 3792 Pro Lys Cys Leu Arg Cys Ser Lys Thr Ser Ile Ser Ser Gly Ile Val 1250 1255 1260 acc ggc aat gga ccc aca gcc gga acc ctt tgc agc gtc tcc acg tcc 3840 Thr Gly Asn Gly Pro Thr Ala Gly Thr Leu Cys Ser Val Ser Thr Ser 1265 1270 1275 1280 aag aag ccc aag ctg ccg tta gga gtg agc gaa gag gcg cat gac gat 3888 Lys Lys Pro Lys Leu Pro Leu Gly Val Ser Glu Glu Ala His Asp Asp 1285 1290 1295 ccc cag cag caa cag cag aca cca gtg ccc atc aca gag gat gcc att 3936 Pro Gln Gln Gln Gln Gln Thr Pro Val Pro Ile Thr Glu Asp Ala Ile 1300 1305 1310 atg gga gcc acc tct gat tgt gaa ctg aac gag gcc cag caa aga aga 3984 Met Gly Ala Thr Ser Asp Cys Glu Leu Asn Glu Ala Gln Gln Arg Arg 1315 1320 1325 acc cta aaa agt ggc cta atg acg ggc aca cta cag gct cca ccg cag 4032 Thr Leu Lys Ser Gly Leu Met Thr Gly Thr Leu Gln Ala Pro Pro Gln 1330 1335 1340 acc ctt ggt ggc cat gtt gtg ctc gaa aga gnn 4065 Thr Leu Gly Gly His Val Val Leu Glu Arg 1345 1350 <210> SEQ ID NO 4 <211> LENGTH: 1354 <212> TYPE: PRT <213> ORGANISM: Drosophila melanogaster <400> SEQUENCE: 4 Ile His Lys Leu Asn Gly Thr Phe Glu Ser Asn Phe His Glu Tyr Asp 1 5 10 15 Ser Lys Arg Lys Tyr Ile Arg Val Ser Lys Tyr Gln Thr Ala Tyr Ala 20 25 30 Cys Glu Gly Lys Lys Leu Thr Ile Glu Cys Asp Pro Gly Asp Val Ile 35 40 45 Asn Leu Ile Arg Ala Asn Tyr Gly Arg Phe Ser Ile Thr Ile Cys Asn 50 55 60 Asp His Gly Asn Val Glu Trp Ser Val Asn Cys Met Phe Pro Lys Ser 65 70 75 80 Leu Ser Val Leu Asn Ser Arg Cys Ala His Lys Gln Ser Cys Gly Val 85 90 95 Leu Ala Ala Thr Ser Met Phe Gly Asp Pro Cys Pro Gly Thr His Lys 100 105 110 Tyr Leu Glu Ala His Tyr Gln Cys Ile Ser Ala Ala Gln Thr Ser Thr 115 120 125 Thr Thr Asn Arg Pro Ser Pro Pro Pro Trp Val Leu Ser Asn Gly Pro 130 135 140 Pro Ile Phe Gly Asn Gly Ser Gly Leu Ile His Pro Pro Gly Val Gly 145 150 155 160 Ala Gly Ala Pro Pro Pro Pro Arg Leu Pro Thr Leu Pro Gly Val Val 165 170 175 Gly Ile Ser Gly Asn Pro Gly Leu Phe Asn Val Pro Pro Gln His Thr 180 185 190 Ala Val Thr His Ser Thr Pro Ser Ser Ser Thr Thr Ala Val Gly Gly 195 200 205 Gly Arg Leu Lys Gly Gly Ala Thr Ser Thr Thr Thr Thr Lys His Pro 210 215 220 Ala Gly Arg His Asp Gly Leu Pro Pro Pro Pro Gln Leu His His His 225 230 235 240 His Asn His His Gly Glu Asp Thr Ala Ser Pro Thr Lys Pro Ser Ser 245 250 255 Lys Leu Pro Ala Gly Gly Asn Ala Thr Ser Pro Ser Asn Thr Arg Ile 260 265 270 Leu Thr Gly Val Gly Gly Ser Gly Thr Asp Asp Gly Thr Leu Leu Thr 275 280 285 Thr Lys Ser Ser Pro Asn Arg Pro Pro Gly Thr Ala Ala Ser Gly Ser 290 295 300 Val Val Pro Gly Asn Gly Ser Val Val Arg Thr Ile Asn Asn Ile Asn 305 310 315 320 Leu Asn Ala Ala Gly Met Ser Gly Gly Asp Asp Glu Ser Lys Leu Phe 325 330 335 Cys Gly Pro Thr His Ala Arg Asn Leu Tyr Trp Asn Met Thr Arg Val 340 345 350 Gly Asp Val Asn Val Gln Pro Cys Pro Gly Gly Ala Ala Gly Ile Ala 355 360 365 Lys Trp Arg Cys Val Leu Met Lys Arg Ile Pro Asp Ser Gly Tyr Asp 370 375 380 Glu Tyr Asp Asp Asp Ile Ser Ser Thr Thr Pro Ala Pro Ser Gly Gly 385 390 395 400 Asp Cys Leu His Asn Ser Ser Ser Cys Glu Pro Pro Val Ser Met Ala 405 410 415 His Lys Val Asn Gln Arg Leu Arg Asn Phe Glu Pro Thr Trp His Pro 420 425 430 Ala Thr Pro Asp Leu Thr Gln Cys Arg Ser Leu Trp Leu Asn Asn Leu 435 440 445 Glu Met Arg Val Asn Gln Arg Asp Ser Ser Leu Ile Ser Ile Ala Asn 450 455 460 Asp Met Ser Glu Val Thr Ser Ser Lys Thr Leu Tyr Gly Gly Asp Met 465 470 475 480 Leu Val Thr Thr Lys Ile Ile Gln Thr Val Ser Glu Lys Met Met His 485 490 495 Asp Lys Glu Thr Phe Pro Asp Gln Arg Gln Arg Glu Ala Met Ile Met 500 505 510 Glu Leu Leu His Cys Val Val Lys Thr Gly Ser Asn Leu Leu Asp Glu 515 520 525 Ser Gln Leu Ser Ser Trp Leu Asp Leu Asn Pro Glu Asp Gln Met Arg 530 535 540 Val Ala Thr Ser Leu Leu Thr Gly Leu Glu Tyr Asn Ala Phe Leu Leu 545 550 555 560 Ala Asp Thr Ile Ile Arg Glu Arg Ser Val Val Gln Lys Val Lys Asn 565 570 575 Ile Leu Leu Ser Val Arg Val Leu Glu Thr Lys Thr Ile Gln Ser Ser 580 585 590 Val Val Phe Pro Asp Ser Asp Gln Trp Pro Leu Ser Ser Asp Arg Ile 595 600 605 Glu Leu Pro Arg Ala Ala Leu Ile Asp Asn Ser Glu Gly Gly Leu Val 610 615 620 Arg Ile Val Phe Ala Ala Phe Asp Arg Leu Glu Ser Ile Leu Lys Pro 625 630 635 640 Ser Tyr Asp His Phe Asp Leu Lys Ser Ser Arg Ser Tyr Ala Ile Leu 645 650 655 Ser Asn Asp Ser Asp Val Asn Ala Gly Glu Ile Gln Gln Arg Leu Arg 660 665 670 Ile Leu Asn Ser Lys Val Ile Ser Ala Ser Leu Gly Lys Gly Arg His 675 680 685 Ile Gln Leu Ser Gln Pro Ile Thr Leu Thr Leu Lys His Leu Lys Thr 690 695 700 Glu Asn Val Thr Asn Pro Thr Cys Val Phe Trp Asn Tyr Ile Asp His 705 710 715 720 Ala Trp Ser Ala Asn Gly Cys Ser Leu Glu Ser Thr Asn Arg Thr His 725 730 735 Ser Val Cys Ser Cys Asn His Leu Thr Asn Phe Ala Ile Leu Met Asp 740 745 750 Val Val Asp Glu His Gln His Ser Leu Phe Thr Met Phe Asp Gly Asn 755 760 765 Met Arg Ile Phe Ile Tyr Ile Ser Ile Gly Ile Cys Val Val Phe Ile 770 775 780 Val Ile Ala Leu Leu Thr Leu Lys Leu Phe Asn Gly Val Phe Val Lys 785 790 795 800 Val Arg Asn Gly Ser Asn Pro Leu Pro His Gln Arg Ser Gly Ser Arg 805 810 815 Arg Gln Gln Asn Asn Ile Arg Asp Gln Thr His Glu Ser Leu Thr Leu 820 825 830 Thr Thr Pro Thr Ser Gln Ser Asn Val Pro Pro Pro Ser His Gly Asn 835 840 845 Thr Asn Phe Ile Gln His Asn Ser Ile Arg Asn Ser His Arg Asn Asn 850 855 860 Leu Asn Tyr Asn Val Gln Gln Gln Gln Gln Gln Gln Gln Gln Gln Val 865 870 875 880 Val Ala Ala Ala Ala Ala Ala Val Val Leu Ser Asn Gln Pro Gln Arg 885 890 895 Asn Met Gln His Ala Met Asn Asn Leu Asn Leu Asn Leu His Gln His 900 905 910 Gly Gln Gln Thr Ala Ala Ala Ala Ala Ala Ala Ala Ser Ile Ala Ala 915 920 925 Ala Leu Gln Gln His Ala Val Gln Ala Ser Asn Ala Ser Asn Asn Leu 930 935 940 Asn Ile Ser His Asn Tyr Leu Gln Gln Gln His Val Gln Gln Gln Gln 945 950 955 960 Gln Gln Gln Arg Gly Gln Gln Pro Gln Pro His Pro His Arg Asn His 965 970 975 Asn Leu Asn Val Asp Gly Asn Gly Leu Asp Asn Thr Asn Asn Ile Ile 980 985 990 Met Gln Ala Asn Met Asp Asp Leu Gln Tyr Lys Trp Trp Trp Cys Pro 995 1000 1005 Arg Ala Pro Arg Ser Ile Pro Ala Phe Thr Phe Ala Ser Trp Pro Ser 1010 1015 1020 Ser Cys Ser Phe Ser Trp Ala Leu Asn Arg Pro Lys Gln Ala Phe Cys 1025 1030 1035 1040 Gly Phe Ile Thr Ile Phe Leu His Cys Ala Ile Leu Ser Gly Thr Ala 1045 1050 1055 Trp Phe Cys Tyr Glu Ala Phe His Ser Tyr Ser Thr Leu Thr Ser Asp 1060 1065 1070 Glu Leu Leu Leu Glu Val Asp Gln Thr Pro Lys Val Asn Cys Tyr Tyr 1075 1080 1085 Leu Leu Ser Tyr Gly Leu Ser Leu Ser Val Val Ala Ile Ser Leu Val 1090 1095 1100 Ile Asp Pro Ser Thr Tyr Thr Gln Asn Asp Tyr Cys Val Leu Met Glu 1105 1110 1115 1120 Ala Asn Ala Leu Phe Tyr Ala Thr Phe Val Ile Pro Val Leu Val Phe 1125 1130 1135 Phe Val Ala Ala Ile Gly Tyr Thr Phe Leu Ser Trp Ile Ile Met Cys 1140 1145 1150 Arg Lys Ser Arg Thr Gly Leu Lys Thr Lys Glu His Thr Arg Leu Ala 1155 1160 1165 Ser Val Arg Phe Asp Ile Arg Cys Ser Phe Val Phe Leu Leu Leu Leu 1170 1175 1180 Ser Ala Val Trp Cys Ser Ala Tyr Phe Tyr Leu Arg Gly Ala Lys Met 1185 1190 1195 1200 Asp Asp Asp Thr Ala Asp Val Tyr Gly Tyr Cys Phe Ile Cys Phe Asn 1205 1210 1215 Thr Leu Leu Gly Leu Tyr Ile Phe Val Phe His Cys Ile Gln Asn Glu 1220 1225 1230 Lys Ile Arg Arg Glu Tyr Arg Lys Tyr Val Arg Gln His Ala Trp Leu 1235 1240 1245 Pro Lys Cys Leu Arg Cys Ser Lys Thr Ser Ile Ser Ser Gly Ile Val 1250 1255 1260 Thr Gly Asn Gly Pro Thr Ala Gly Thr Leu Cys Ser Val Ser Thr Ser 1265 1270 1275 1280 Lys Lys Pro Lys Leu Pro Leu Gly Val Ser Glu Glu Ala His Asp Asp 1285 1290 1295 Pro Gln Gln Gln Gln Gln Thr Pro Val Pro Ile Thr Glu Asp Ala Ile 1300 1305 1310 Met Gly Ala Thr Ser Asp Cys Glu Leu Asn Glu Ala Gln Gln Arg Arg 1315 1320 1325 Thr Leu Lys Ser Gly Leu Met Thr Gly Thr Leu Gln Ala Pro Pro Gln 1330 1335 1340 Thr Leu Gly Gly His Val Val Leu Glu Arg 1345 1350 <210> SEQ ID NO 5 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: Description of Artifical Sequence: Primer <400> SEQUENCE: 5 tccatcgcca acgatatgtc 20 <210> SEQ ID NO 6 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: Description of Artificial Sequence: Primer <400> SEQUENCE: 6 cgctccctga tgatcgtatc 20 

1. Polypeptide having the biological activity of a latrotoxin receptor and comprising an amino acid sequence which has at least 70% identity with a sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 or SEQ ID NO:
 4. 2. Polypeptide according to claim 1, characterized in that the amino acid sequence corresponds to a sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 or SEQ ID NO:
 4. 3. Nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence which encodes a polypeptide according to claim 1 or
 2. 4. Nucleic acid according to claim 3, characterized in that it is single-stranded or double-stranded DNA or RNA.
 5. Nucleic acid according to claim 4, characterized in that it is a fragment of genomic DNA or cDNA.
 6. Nucleic acid according to claim 3, characterized in that the nucleotide sequence corresponds to a sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO:
 3. 7. Nucleic acid according to claim 3, characterized in that it hybridizes under stringent conditions to the sequences of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO:
 3. 8. DNA construct comprising a nucleic acid according to any of claims 3 to 7 and a heterologous promoter.
 9. Vector comprising a nucleic acid according to any of claims 3 to 7 or a DNA construct according to claim
 8. 10. Vector according to claim 9, characterized in that the nucleic acid is linked functionally to regulatory sequences which ensure the expression of the nucleic acid in pro- or eukaryotic cells.
 11. Host cell containing a nucleic acid according to any of claims 3 to 7, a DNA construct according to claim 8 or a vector according to claim 9 or
 10. 12. Host cell according to claim 11, characterized in that it is a prokaryotic cell, in particular E. coli.
 13. Host cell according to claim 11, characterized in that it is a eukaryotic cell, in particular a mammalian or insect cell.
 14. Antibody which binds specifically to a polypeptide according to claim 1 or
 2. 15. Transgenic invertebrate containing a nucleic acid according to any of claims 3 to
 7. 16. Transgenic invertebrate according to claim 15, characterized in that it is Drosophila melanogester or Caenorhabditis elegans.
 17. Transgenic progeny of an invertebrate according to claim 15 or
 16. 18. Method of producing a polypeptide according to claim 1 or 2, comprising (a) culturing of a host cell according to any of claims 11 to 13 under conditions which ensure the expression of the nucleic acid according to any of claims 3 to 7, or (b) expressing a nucleic acid according to any of claims 3 to 7 in an in vitro system, and (c) obtaining the polypeptide from the cell, the culture medium or the in vitro system.
 19. Method of producing a nucleic acid according to any of claims 3 to 7, comprising the following steps: (a) full chemical synthesis in a manner known per se, or (b) chemical synthesis of oligonucleotides, labelling of the oligo-nucleotides, hybridizing the oligonucleotides to DNA of a genomic library or cDNA library generated from insect genomic DNA or insect mRNA, respectively, selecting positive clones and isolating the hybridizing DNA from positive clones, or (c) chemical synthesis of oligonucleotides and amplification of the target DNA by means of PCR.
 20. Method of producing a transgenic invertebrate according to claim 15 or 16, which comprises introducing a nucleic acid according to any of claims 3 to 7 or a vector according to claim 9 or
 10. 21. Method of finding novel active compounds for crop protection, in particular compounds which alter the properties of polypeptides according to claim 1 or 2, comprising the following steps: (a) providing a host cell according to any of claims 11 to 13, (b) culturing the host cell in the presence of a chemical compound or a mixture of chemical compounds, and (c) detecting altered properties.
 22. Method of finding a chemical compound which binds to a polypeptide according to claim 1 or 2, comprising the following steps: (a) bringing a polypeptide according to claim 1 or 2 or a host cell according to any of claims 11 to 13 into contact with a chemical compound or a mixture of chemical compounds under conditions which permit the interaction of a chemical compound with the polypeptide, and (b) determining the chemical compound which binds specifically to the polypeptide.
 23. Method of finding a chemical compound which alters the expression of a polypeptide according to claim 1 or 2, comprising the following steps: (a) bringing a host cell according to any of claims 11 to 13 or a transgenic invertebrate according to claim 15 or 16 into contact with a chemical compound or a mixture of chemical compounds, (b) determining the concentration of the polypeptide according to claim 1 or 2, and (c) determining the chemical compound which specifically affects the expression of the polypeptide.
 24. Use of a polypeptide according to claim 1 or 2, of a nucleic acid according to any one of claims 3 to 7, of a vector according to claim 9 or 10, of a host cell according to any of claims 11 to 13, of an antibody according to claim 14 or of a transgenic invertebrate according to claim 15 or 16 for finding novel active compounds for crop protection or for finding genes which encode polypeptides which participate in the synthesis of functionally similar peptide receptors in insects.
 25. Use of a modulator of a polypeptide according to claim 1 or 2 as insecticide. 